Description

JULES LEVY (LONDON, ENGLAND, APRIL 24, 1838 – CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, NOVEMBER 28, 1903)

Born in London, England, he reportedly began his study of the cornet with only its mouthpiece; his family could not afford the instrument itself. After immigrating to the United States, he began a significant musical career as a cornet soloist and was billed as The World’s Greatest Cornetist. He was widely regarded as a foremost player, although the claim of World’s Greatest has some challengers. He was a member of Patrick Gilmore’s band for several years, performing with them at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876. He was also a tester and promoter for C.G. Conn, manufacturer of musical instruments. Levy’s performed many pieces, among the most famous were “Una Voce” by Rossini, “Carnival of Venice”, “Grand Russian Fantasia”, and his favorite “Whirlwind Polka”. He was arguably the first cornetist to be recorded, having participated in an early public demonstration of Thomas Edison’s tinfoil phonograph. He later recorded commercially for Victor Records and Columbia Records. His son, Jules Levy, Jr., was also an accomplished cornetist and trumpeter. He recorded from 1919 to 1932,[1] often with groups led by Joseph Samuels. Levy was bigamously married to actress Mary “Minnie” Conway in the 1870s. Their son, Frederick Conway Levy, was the popular stage and screen actor Conway Tearle. Jules Levy died at age 65 in Chicago, Illinois.

TRACKLIST

1. The last rose of summer (Folk tune) Victor 1708
2. Bonnie sweet Bessie (James L. Gilbert) Victor 2106
3. Absence makes the heart grow fonder (Herbert Dillea) Victor 1052
4. Within a mile of Edinboro’ town (James Hook) Victor 1709
5. Our own make polka (Jules Levy) Victor 2496
6. German air and variations on “Du, du” (Folk tune) Victor 1056
7. Alice, where art thou? (Joseph Ascher) Columbia 918
8. The low-backed car (Samuel Lover) Victor 1707
9. Nearer, my God, to Thee (Lowell Mason) Victor 1066
10. The blue bells of Scotland (arr. Jules Levy) Victor 1059
11. Robin Adair (Folk tune; Eileen Aroon) Victor 1706
12. Nancy Lee (Stephen Adams) Victor 2529
13. Du, du: With variations (Folk tune) Columbia 920
14. In the gloaming (Annie Fortescue Harrison) Victor 2103
15. Merry birds (Folk tune) Victor 31176
16. Robin Adair (Folk tune) Columbia 919
17. Palm branches (Fauré) Columbia 917